One person was taken to a hospital after an explosion Tuesday at a cottage on a Sewickley Heights estate.
According to Aleppo fire Chief Bill Davis Jr., a plumber was working in the cottage at 543 Backbone Road when the explosion occurred. He was taken to a local hospital by Valley EMS and his condition is unknown, Davis said.
The explosion destroyed the cottage. The main house on the property, a 7,093-square-foot mansion that sits about 500 feet away from the cottage, was not affected, Davis said.
A husband and wife in the mansion at the time of the explosion were not hurt. Fire officials did not release the names of the homeowners.
Davis declined to comment on what might have caused the explosion. The Allegheny County Fire Marshal’s Office is investigating.
According to Allegheny County 911, police, fire and paramedics were called to 543 Backbone Road at 5:20 p.m.
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In addition to Aleppo, which provides fire protection to Sewickley Heights, firefighters from Cochran Hose, Ohio Township, Leetsdale, Emsworth and Big Sewickley Creek responded. Davis said the response was so large because the initial dispatch said the explosion happened at the main house.
“Knowing the type of residences we have up here, that’s why we called additional units,” he said. “Once we got on scene and put the crews to work, we had more than enough manpower.”
Davis said there was not much fire to fight, only a few hot spots.
The property was purchased by Winward Partners of Sewickley for nearly $1.8 million in 2010 according to Allegheny County real estate records.
Columbia Gas crews responded to the explosion and shut off gas to the home as a precaution. No other customers were impacted, Columbia spokesman Lee Gierczynski said.
Columbia had no technicians working at the residence, nor were any crews working in the Sewickley Heights area on Tuesday, Gierczynski said.
“Our thoughts are with those who were impacted by this incident,” he said.
It does not appear that any Columbia Gas distribution facilities were involved, and Columbia continues to work with local fire and police departments to investigate the cause of the explosion, Gierczynski said.
Laurie Johnson was in her home at the intersection of Backbone and Quaker Hollow roads when she heard the explosion.
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“We went running around outside to see what happened,” she said. “We thought it was a plane crash. We couldn’t figure it out, and then we saw the ball of smoke coming across the field. That house sits way back (from the road).”
“We are OK,” Johnson said. “It shook the house and upset the neighborhood, but we are fine.”
Will Bogalad, 14, whose grandfather lives next door to the house, said he and his family live about three minutes away.
“I felt a sudden explosion and maybe two seconds after that, I felt a less-quiet vibration and then it stopped,” he said. “I thought maybe it was a lightning strike, maybe five miles away or something.”
Melanie Crockard lives on Kevin Drive, near the Mt. Nebo exit of Interstate 79, a few streets over from the explosion.
“It was frightening. Our entire house shook,” she said. “It echoed so loudly with all the skylights in our roof. I ran outside because I thought a car exploded or our gas line.
“The crystals on the foyer chandelier were actually moving.”
Staff writer Joyce Hanz contributed to this report.